Karaoke Forums

to a restaurant owner.

I want to take a stab at dj'ing full time due a loss of my job, (a long story but it's a good one).

History:
My wife & I have a Christian DJ sevice- www.gloryentertainment.net but the Christian market is pretty small here in NY. So due to me not having a job would like to dj full time.

We have never marketed to the secular wedding market yet but we will soon. However, I thought a good idea would be to get 2-3 weekly restaurant karaoke gigs to get us going.

I was hoping for advice and input on how to approach the managers and make it appealing for them to give us a 1 night a week gig. If I can get 2-3 a week, I would make more than my former job did in 40 hrs.

One important note: I will not do any bars only. Resaurants with bars are ok, like, TGIF, Applebee's, etc..

My questions are:

1. How to approach the owner.
2. How much could I charge and for how many hours.
3. What kind of restaurants work the best.
4. Any other things I may have forgotten.

I will provide them with flyers to pass out to the patrons to plug it but what more should I do to help build it up?


I would appreciate any help as I need to this ASAP. My last check from my job is this Friday, so the money will be done.

Please help.


Thanks to all.

Bill & Denise C.
[glow=coral][/glow]

Good luck, these types of places don't (as a rule-not always) need entertainment.  But most bars (at least in WA) have to be attached to a restaurant.  Taverns are the places that don't require the restaurant.  Restaurants by themselves will never fly, people are there to eat, not party.



1.  Ask to see the manager & give a brief rundown.  If need be set-up an appt.  They may just flat out say we're not interested.
2.  Depends on experience, local rate of pay & the following you can provide.  Don't undersell yourself because you're new, this will only hurt your pricing in the future, however you probably won't be able to as high as you may think due to lowballers & illegal rigs (again, based on WA areas).  Most companies (on average) get anywhere from $125-$175 for 4 hour nights.
3.  One with a bar.
4.  Song selection, do you know how to mix live vocals quickly, equipment type - you say dj, not all dj equipment will work well for karaoke.

Newpaper ads, the club can supply banners for the outside (usually from the beer distributors), internet sources that have Where To Sing links to your website or club.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

SierrasDad, I have one question.

I understand performers with religious convictions, ie your decision to play Christian Only selections, but you will open yourself to the same type of crowd, if you also add Showtunes, or songs from maybe the Pre Sixties era.  When you limit yourself to only one genre, i'm just afraid you are selling yourself way too short.  The ShowTune crowd is just as pleasant and receptive as the Christian Only crow, at least this has been my experience.

This is just my opinion, but I have never even heard of a totally Christian Karaoke Show, especially in restaurant/bar atmosphere.

Just adding my two cents to LonMan's professional viewpoints, and his hints are always good to take heed to, I'm pretty sure he knows.

Who's Jason?

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Thanks for your input.

To answer that last question: we don't play only Christian music. We also offer non-ofensive secular music & karaoke as well. I should have mentioned that. I would offer both as I have two separate song books, but I would push the secular music more in a restaurant setting.

Thanks for your help, it has helped in my train of thought.

Please keep the info comming.
Bill

Bill, not to offend, but you are very much pigeon-holing yourself and limiting your options, which is going to make it very very tough for you to make a full-time living in this industry!! It is tough enough for someone who is wide open to any and all jobs!!

Best of luck to you, but i know you wouldn't make it with your stated criteria down here in my market of Tampa Bay, FL.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Something to consider - try talking to the various churches and religious schools in your area about doing something on a regular or semi-regular basis.  If you remove all songs that are 'offensive' then you might remove yourself from a gig.  Songs like 'Paradise by the dashboard light' has implications of pre-marital sex.  Don't even try to bring up a number of songs from the 60's with drug references.  Most bars and restaurants will allow songs like this to be sung and actually even expect it, but refuse songs like 'The Rodeo Song' because of the outright profanity.  So depending on your criteria of 'offensive' you might be in for some problems and really limit your song selection.

That aside, I'd also consider doing something posted at another forum where they do shows for day care.  They do 'high energy' sing-along type stuff and use a bubble machine, hula hoops, and other 'props' for an hour.  They charge pretty well and usually knock out a show a day before lunch and then work their bookings after lunch.  If you want more information let me know and I'll send you a link to the discussion on another forum (that's DJ centric).

as a rule Karaoke does not work in Restruants. As far as I know TGI Fridays put a stop to it nationwide, it used to be under the disgression of the manager but due to liscence fees it's no longer allowed. Applebees won't do it either they do not get enough of a bar crowd. About the only national chain that does do Karaoke is Red Star and Hard Rock good luck getting in those places, as soon as people find out you object to certain rock songs you will be replaced.

Karaoke is a bar activity people like to get drunk and sing, at least that is how it is in my area. Yes there are quite a few singers that do not drink but they still only make up 10% if they are lucky.

Food cost is much higher than liquor cost. Bars rely on liquor sales to support entertainment.

You best bet might be to market Christian Weddings then again there a number of those DJ's allready out there. Market childrens parties, elementray school entertainment, and church socials and youth group socials.

I would be real leery of introducing a karaoke show based upon a religous outlook---
as mentioned above-unless its for a church-related location. I cant see ANY bar or restaurant for that matter taking a risk on alienating ANY segment of its customer base by offering entertainment that caters primarily to one religious persuasion(in this case Christian). As stated above most places with karaoke are bars with lots of people getting drunk and partying--not really conducive to a show thats tailored to a religious group. Again stick to church functions, retirement homes, nursing homes and other type locations that would be a better match.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Thanks for all your input. But I think your focusing in on that we are Christian DJ's  in the wrong manner. I just stated that to let you know that we will not play offensive songs, bad language, blatant sexual innuendoes, cursing, violence etc... I would think this would be a Kj's responsibility to ensure a good time without promoting all those topics. Love songs are fine as long as they're not "moaning" in the middle of it.

When I listen to a song to see if I will play it or not, I evaluate what the writer is tring to say, if I feel its not going to tear a person or race down, embarace anyone,
cause violence, or defame or blaspheme God then I would play it. And yes, I won't play "Paradise...." but there are thousands I will.

I would not even tell the owner that I am a Christian DJ when I speak with them only that I only play non-offensive songs so that all will have a great time with NO ONE OFFENDED.

I hope I cleared up any more questions of what I will or will not play.
Again , thanks for your help.

God Bless.

Hmm....the best songs ever written are about sex, drugs, death, loss, sex, and drugs.  And I would assume your criteria cuts out all rap and most modern R&B. Offensive is a relative term.

Actually, I'm not as bad as I sound....I also play non-offensive music until about 11:00 p.m. to allow the older folk and family crowd to take advantage of my karaoke early in the evening. Lots of good pop, old rock, etc..  I always let them know, however, that the butt-thumping and loud. proud rock starts promptly at 11:00 for the party crowd!!

Unbelievably, I occationally have 8-15 year olds at my bar at 1:00 a.m. on a Wednesday night singing karoake. The one thing I am at odds with with my bar is that they refuse to kick these kids out!! I usually just give their parents enough sh*t over the mic after 11:00 p.m. that the problem takes care of itself. Parents of the year, I tell ya!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Where are you that legally allows minors in a bar after a certain hour esp 1am.  I think the liquor board would be very interested.

As for Sierradad's choice for music in his library, that is his right and more power to him.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

You miss my point. The point I was making was NOT about being this religion or that religion--but that bars by nature are there for drunk partying people and that most of what the late night partying crowd comes for is the modern R & B, rock, urban stuff that is rife with suggestive and potentially offensive lyrics and subject matter--just go listen to any top-40 FM radio station and youll get what I mean. So by limiting and filtering your selection it would seem that by default you would be limiting your appeal to a late night bar crowd, which is where the bar makes a large percentage of its money.  And from my viewpoint I just dont see where a bar owner would be willing to limit their clientele. So again I think your best bet would be church, family centers, retirement home and other religion related venues. From what you describe you'll be removing a HUGE segment of both karaoke selections and transition music that customers will be coming in asking for. And if you have to tell them sorry we dont have that or we dont allow that type of music---well out the door they will go.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Dupe post------------and yes Lonnie-----DUPE RESPONSE!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

You missed his point, he's not interested in bars as such.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

He didn't say he wasn't interested in bars, he said restaurants with bars (which MOST bars are anyway) are ok.



Now if he didn't mean actually DOING the show in the bar and wanted to stay in the restaurant, THEN he would be shooting himself in the foot.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I totally agree, but I'm not going to lose $350 a week by ratting out my place of employment over a few rugrats running around. If I was a patron in my bar or any other bar, though, I would be the first one complaining!!

In fact, to satisfy my concerns, I may just look to see if there is a FL statute against such a thing and anonymously send it to my bar owner on behalf of the state liquor board!! Then everyone is happy!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL